1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dual shade covering a window of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism for raising and lowering a dual shade covering a window in a vehicle such as an aircraft with a single handle. The present invention utilizes a track assembly with a master glide that engages and disengages glides connected to the dual shade to raise and lower the dual shade. The use of a single master glide to move multiple glides eliminates the need for more than one handle to operate the dual shade to lower either or both the sheer shade and the dark shade.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists in the art electronic and manual mechanisms to raise and lower single and dual shades covering windows in an aircraft or other vehicle. Electronic mechanisms to raise and lower such shades are generally undesirable because electronic systems are prone to electronic failure, malfunction or breakdown. Most of the moving parts and electronics operating the electronic mechanism are disposed between the inside panel of the aircraft or other vehicle and any one or more intermediate or outer panels adjacent thereto. Thus, in the case of electronic breakdown or malfunction, the walls of the aircraft or other vehicle must be torn away to expose the mechanism for repair. Thus, it is desirable to have a manually operated mechanism that allows a passenger in proximity to a particular window of the aircraft to lower the shade or shades to a desired position.
There exists in the art manual mechanisms to raise and lower dual shades covering windows in an aircraft or other vehicle. However, such manual mechanisms operate completely independent of one another. As a result, there is a first mechanism to raise and/or lower the sheer shade, and a completely separate second mechanism to raise and lower the dark shade. Thus, two handles are exposed through the interior panel of the aircraft to operate the two different shades.